Pattern formation method, pattern formation system, and electronic device

Abstract

A pattern formation method, a pattern formation system, and an electronic device are proposed, with which manufacture of a wiring pattern or an electronic circuit or the like can be accomplished at good efficiency and in high volume. A pattern is formed upon a reel to reel substrate, which is a tape shaped substrate, and of which the end portions are wound up upon a first reel and a second reel, by using, at least, a liquid drop ejection method in which a mass of liquid material is applied by being ejected in the form of liquid drops.

1 . A pattern formation method for forming a pattern upon a reel to reel substrate, which is a tape shaped substrate whose both end portions is wound up, respectively, by using at least, a liquid drop ejection method in which a liquid material is applied by being ejected in the form of liquid drops.  
     
     
         2 . The pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of processes, including a liquid drop application process by said liquid drop ejection method, are executed from when said reel to reel substrate is unwound to wound up.  
     
     
         3 . The pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein at least two processes of said plurality of processes are performed at the same time.  
     
     
         4 . The pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said plurality of processes includes, at least, a hardening process; and    said hardening process is executed after applying said liquid material upon said reel to reel substrate by said liquid drop ejection method.    
     
     
         5 . The pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the time which is required for each of said plurality of processes is almost the same.  
     
     
         6 . The pattern formation method as claimed in claims  2 , wherein said plurality of processes includes: 
 a cleansing process in which the surface of said reel to reel substrate is cleansed;    a surface processing process in which a lyophilic characteristic or a lyophobic characteristic is imparted to the surface of said reel to reel substrate;    a wiring material application process in which the liquid material which includes an electrically conductive material is applied to said reel to reel substrate by said liquid drop ejection method;    a wiring material drying process in which said liquid material which includes said electrically conductive material is dried;    an insulating material application process in which the liquid material which has an insulating characteristic is applied by said liquid drop ejection method to the upper layer of the region upon which said wiring material drying process has been performed; and    an insulating material hardening process in which said liquid material which has said insulating characteristic is hardened.    
     
     
         7 . The pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said plurality of processes includes a firing process in which said reel to reel substrate is fired after performing at least said insulating material application process.  
     
     
         8 . The pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a wiring material application process in which a pattern is printed upon said reel to reel substrate by ejecting said liquid drops including an electrically conductive material is performed from when said reel to reel substrate is unwound to when it is wound up; and 
 said reel to reel substrate is wound up before hardening said liquid material printed on said reel to reel substrate.    
     
     
         9 . The pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the winding up of said reel to reel substrate is performed in a state in which said printed liquid material is tentatively dried to an extent at which said printed liquid material has lost its flowability.  
     
     
         10 . The pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the winding up of said reel to reel substrate is performed while positioning a tape shaped spacer which covers the application region of said liquid material on the surface of said tape shaped substrate upon which said liquid material is applied.  
     
     
         11 . The pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 convex portions are formed upon the surface of said tape shaped spacer; and    the winding up of said reel to reel substrate is performed while contacting said convex portions of said tape shaped spacer on a region of said tape shaped substrate other than said application region of said liquid material.    
     
     
         12 . The pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein: 
 said convex portions are formed on both end portions of said tape shaped spacer in its widthwise direction;    winding up holes of said tape shaped substrate are formed in a row along both end portions in the widthwise direction of said tape shaped substrate; and    the winding up of said reel to reel substrate is performed while engaging the ends of said convex portions of said tape shaped spacer into said winding holes in said tape shaped substrate.    
     
     
         13 . A pattern formation system comprising: 
 a first reel upon which a tape shaped substrate is wound;    a second reel upon which said tape shaped substrate pulled off from said first reel is wound up;    a liquid drop ejection device which comprises an ejection head which ejects a liquid material as liquid drops to said tape shaped substrate which is pulled off from said first reel; and    a head shifting mechanism which drives said ejection head relatively to said tape shaped substrate pulled off from said first reel.    
     
     
         14 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said liquid drop ejection device further comprises a guide rail which causes said ejection head to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of said tape shaped substrate during the liquid drop ejection operation by said liquid drop ejection device.  
     
     
         15 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising flushing areas which are regions arranged at both sides of said tape shaped substrate in its width direction, said ejection head moving to said flushing areas via said guide to eject and discard said liquid material to be cleaned off said ejection head.  
     
     
         16 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said tape shaped substrate is wound up upon said second reel with the surface upon which said liquid material is applied facing inwards.  
     
     
         17 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said liquid drop ejection device comprises an ejection head which ejects liquid drops towards the front surface and the rear surface of said tape shaped substrate at almost the same time.  
     
     
         18 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said liquid drop ejection device comprises an ejection head which ejects liquid drops towards the front surface and the rear surface of said tape shaped substrate at almost the same time while holding said surfaces of said tape shaped substrate in a substantially vertical orientation.  
     
     
         19 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising a reversing mechanism which twists said tape shaped substrate so as to interchange its front surface and its rear surface, and wherein: 
 said liquid drop ejection device comprises a first ejection head which ejects liquid drops toward the upper surface of said tape shaped substrate before twisted by said reversing mechanism, and a second ejection head which ejects liquid drops toward a new upper surface of said tape shaped substrate after twisted by said reversing mechanism.    
     
     
         20 . A pattern formation system comprising: 
 a substrate arrangement means which arranges a plurality of tape shaped substrates so that they are mutually parallel; and    a liquid drop ejection device comprising at least one ejection head which ejects a liquid material in the form of liquid drops toward said plurality of tape shaped substrates which is arranged by said substrate arrangement means.    
     
     
         21 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said tape shaped substrates are reel to reel substrates whose end portions are wound up, and 
 said liquid drop ejection device regulates the shift position of said ejection head, and comprises a guide which is arranged so as to cross said plurality of tape shaped substrates.    
     
     
         22 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said liquid drop ejection device comprises a plurality of said ejection heads.  
     
     
         23 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein said plurality of ejection heads are all supported in common by said guide so as to be able to shift.  
     
     
         24 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said liquid drop ejection device comprises a plurality of said guides, and each of said plurality of said guides supports at least one of said ejection heads so that it is able to shift.  
     
     
         25 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising a reel drive section which shifts said plurality of tape shaped substrates along their lengthwise directions in common.  
     
     
         26 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 25 , wherein said reel drive section comprises a plurality of reels, one of which is provided for each of said plurality of tape shaped substrates, and said plurality of reels, upon each of which one of said tape shaped substrates is wound up, are rotated all together.  
     
     
         27 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said liquid drop ejection device comprises a plurality of stages, upon each of which a desired region of one of said plurality of tape shaped substrates is mounted, and a plurality of alignment means, each of which determines the position of a corresponding one of said desired regions of said tape shaped substrates mounted upon a corresponding one of said stages.  
     
     
         28 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said liquid drop ejection device comprises a stage upon which the desired regions of said plurality of tape shaped substrates are simultaneously mounted, and an alignment means which determines the positions of said desired regions of said tape shaped substrates mounted upon said stage.  
     
     
         29 . The pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising a pair of flushing areas which are a pair of regions in which liquid material is cleansed off and discarded from said ejection head and positioned outward of said tape shaped substrates in the width direction of said plurality of tape shaped substrates which are disposed by said substrate arrangement means so as to be mutually parallel to one another.  
     
     
         30 . A pattern formation method for forming a pattern comprising: 
 an arrangement process in which a plurality of reel to reel substrates are arranged so as to be mutually parallel to one another, each of said reel to reel substrates is a tape shaped substrates whose end portions are wound up; and    a liquid drop application process in which a liquid material is applied to said plurality of reel to reel substrates by being ejected in the form of liquid drops using a common ejection head.    
     
     
         31 . The pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 30 , further comprising a plurality of processes including said liquid drop application processes from when said reel to reel substrates are unwound to when they are wound up and wherein 
 said plurality of processes are executed upon said plurality of reel to reel substrates while being mutually overlapped in time.    
     
     
         32 . The pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the timing for shifting from each process to the subsequent process in said plurality of processes is almost the same for all of said plurality of reel to reel substrates.  
     
     
         33 . A pattern formation method in which a pattern is formed, comprising the steps of: 
 folding a single tape shaped substrate to and from in its lengthwise direction, so that a plurality of locations upon said tape shaped substrate in its lengthwise direction extend parallel to one another; and    performing a liquid drop application process in which a liquid material is applied to said plurality of locations by being ejected in the form of liquid drops using a common ejection head.    
     
     
         34 . An electronic device manufactured using a pattern formation method as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         35 . An electronic device manufactured using a pattern formation system as claimed in  claim 13.